As Bitter As Melancholy
by Zafara-FanFictions
Summary: Everything was slowly returning back to normal... until-   This was actually written a couple days before Blood of Our Fathers was posted


It started out as every morning had. Prince Anduin sat in his throne, gleaming

with a sense of pride that could not be mistaken for none other than the

optimistic pride a son had for his father. King Varian sat merely inches away.

The blistering weather outside caused the mighty king to abandon the usual armor

and he retreated to a cool, thin mageweave suit which was as stunning and

beautiful as his armor. Shalamayne rested against the side of his throne, it too

seeming more relaxed as its master today. Varian playfully tapped Anduin's

shoulder. The boy, who was lost in deep thought, looked over at his father, who

was innocently fiddling with a hang nail he had. Anduin cleared his throat, his

father looked over at him and gave a small smile. Anduin gave an annoyed huff

and went back to this thoughts. A tap on the shoulder came again. Varian's route

of escape was this time cracking his knuckles.

"Dad, please find another form of entertainment... besides annoying me," Anduin knew his father was getting bored.

"But, Son. It's fun watching you be all flustered. I can tell your getting annoyed because your ears are turning red. Just like your mother's use to." Varian's convivial smile faded for a moment, and then returned.

Anduin sighed.

"Besides, you've been gone for so long with Velen mentoring you. I haven't had anyone to pestor besides Greymane... and he's an ole stick-in-the-mud."

The old worgen huffed, and continued his walk across the throne room floor

".. You left those Draenei women alone didn't you?"

Heat rushed to Anduin's face. "Father! I was strictly there for studying!"

"I've been to places for 'strictly studying', too. Didn't stop me from anything." Varian gave a slight grin of self-satisfactory seeing Anduin's face light up, glowing red with embarassment. Anduin stood and launched himself at his father in playful anger. Varian laughed at the boy struggling to forcefully move him. "You're going to have to try harder." Varian gave a false yawn. Anduin, as if finding a new power of some sort, was able to pull his father upright, but at his own expense he fell on his rump. Varian looked down

at his son, and gave a small nod and helped Anduin to his feet.

"See.. the dwarves did toughen me up." The pair laughed.

"That they did, Son." Varian affectionatly put his arm around his son. Anduin smiled and wrapped his arms around his father. Finally, after all these hard years, he's getting the father he knew he had all along.

The warning horn coughed a bitter note that made the pair's skin crawl. Servants came from all directions, most of them where hastily strapping Varian's armor to him. Guards began shoving the king and prince out of the throne room. "Don't worry about me!" Varian barked as he shook guards off of him. "Protect Anduin at all costs! GO NOW!" With that order, the swarm of guards and the prince were gone. Varian's brows drew together in a scowl as a massive amount of guards got in formation behind him as a Horde army began

to pour in the throne room. "Come, dogs."

"Let go of me!" Anduin squirmed in the guards' grasp.

"Can't, your father ordered that you stay here." The sounds of metal clashing and dying could be heard from the barn where the prince was hiding.

"I am not a child anymore!"

"But you ARE the heir to the throne! You're far too valuable to throw your life away." The guard sighed, then pardoned himself for raising his voice. "Your father can

handle himself." The horn blew again, giving everyone the releif that the Horde

invasion was over. A second, more doleful note from the horn came. That could

only mean one thing...

"FATHER!" Anduin broke away from his guards and ran as fast as his legs could go, and then pushed himself to run faster. Guards guarding the enterance to the throne room baracaded the door. "Let me through!"

"It's no place of a boy-"

"I AM not a boy anymore! I am a young man! And as your prince I demand entry."

The guards looked at eachother, then nodded and split apart. Anduin now regretted he wasn't so

forward. The throne room was painted red and litterd with corpses, both Horde and Alliance. A pair of blue eyes looked up, pleading and glassy with unshed tears.

Anduin's eyes widened in horror as he knelt beside his father and began weeping.

"Shh... Anduin, don't cry," His voice was wrasp and weak.

"It's not fair!" the boy sobbed. Varian painfully dragged himself upright, using his cloak to hide a lucky warrior's blade that was stuck in his ribs. "You don't-you don't deserve this! Any of this!"

"Anduin, my dear beautiful son..." Varian placed a hand on Anduin's shoulder. Varian's arm slid

out from under him and he slammed against the floor. He grunted in pain.

"I promise... the Horde won't get away with this." An unusual scowl formed on

Anduin's face.

"Son," Varian coughed. "Don't make the same mistake I made..." Varian's began to trail off.

Anduin shook his head in disbelief. His voice began to quiver. "N-no." Guards and servents alike hung

their heads. One of the larger guards picked up the sobbing prince and carried him off. Anduin was too weak and too shakey to fight it. His head thumped against the plate shoulder pad of the guard, silently wishing to himself that he

could take back all the harsh words he had ever said to his father.


End file.
